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Pablo Neruda
Article about a person or psychological condition written in the style of that person or a person in that condition Portions of this article are funny because they are written in the writing style (or what one might imagine to be the writing style) of its subject. If you do not find it funny, it is probably because you are an ignorant, cultural philistine, who does not recognise this fact without having it explained to you. If you still do not find the article funny, that is probably because a joke loses its humor when it is explained. If you hadn't been so ignorant, then you wouldn't have needed to have the joke explained to you in the first place. |
"I find his poetry half baked, and lacking a side of sour cream"
- ~ Anaïs Nin on Pablo Neruda
From sprout to Nobel laureate, Chilean rapper Pablo Neruda (grown May 25, 1904 – mashed September 23, 1999) lived a life of privilege that few in the potato world have matched. After assuming his rap identity "Mr. Potato Head" in 1920 he gained Superap Star status on three continents.
Tonight I Can Rap the Saddest Lines[edit]
It was in the gardens of La Isla Bonita when rap first came to me. I was just a boy untouched by women, and unaware that men touched other men. Between the lightningflashes Afrika Bambaataa stood tall like an admiral and showed me the ways of the break beat and the cut. My hate was but a mouth that rapped between hushed streets, the sheets others slept in, and the refusals of even the lowliest prostitute to sleep with me. My days were like a bark without a dog, a shoe without a foot, a bone without a dog, and the same dog without either a bark or bone, nor a collar with the proper identification, what I'm saying is I was certainly not unlike a lost puppy dog, except the fact I am human/ potato (delete as you see fit). At night I would sneak into my neighbor's garden, steal apples, break branches, tag, and paint stars upon the heaven of their eyes. I am a stupid piece of shit, to tell you the truth. I am not a potato head, you hear me? IThe real Mr. Potato Head is in hell right now. You can call me Mr. Shitato Head. And don't forget it.
Rap? A Question, has Destroyed You[edit]
Rap held the possibilities, the sound of the prideful, momentarily forgetting their domestic squabbles to verbally beat down an enemy. Rap awoke in my ears an insatiable hate of E-40. Who does he think he is inventing rap slogans under the guise of urban commentary? And all you sucker MC's should know that Pablo aka Mr. P-Head will destroy any who dare step up on the mic against Chilly Chilly P. "Word is bond"? The only bond I know is the one your sister posts on your sorry ass every other weekend! You played out, doing ten joints for a botched robbery on Wilshire boulevard? You done son. I got you, but I ain't feelin' you. Lorca could hold down a brother, but you broke busted ass done!
Ode to Rap[edit]
One night a rap
would not come to me
there it sat
just beyond
my tongue
don't be frightened
little rap
I have
AK's and
Ho's and ho ho's
for you,
pimps and,
the pimped out
rap with
me a while
on this deserted boulevard.
thug's life
worth living
and the
rest is just money,
it makes my
riches look
and those
broke ass
tweakers on the corner
look all the
Elusive rap,
I want
people to hear
my crew
Escape from the Third World[edit]
Allende is dead, and the streets run thick with peasants blood. I called in my debts to escape over the Andes mountains. Picasso owed me six thousand francs, but instead of paying me in cash sent me a sketch of his girlfriend in a bathtub with a rubber ducky. If I make it out of this I'm going to send a crew over to his house for tea and brickits. Autumn returns, and a day like a distant bell rings in my ears. I take two Tylenol and that seems to do the trick, we keep moving. A village boy asks if I've ever "killed a nun with a cut lily", and I tell him to scram, the bells are beginning to ring again, and I have no time for joking around. The sacred heart of the people has been abandoned and submerged, let up to breathe and then submerged again, forced to say uncle, and then betrayed by submersion one more time.
To escape Chile I had to learn to disguise myself, a beard, yellow glasses, and a red tongue were only the first of many ploys I attempted. On the road one morning I asked my googly eyes- "When will see each other again?" Blue shoes, orange shoes, no shoes, shoes the color of a violin. A black headband I wore as a widow wears grief upon her closed eyes.
Today's Special[edit]
Pablo Neruda expired on Thursday September 23, 1999. He was washed, boiled, promptly mashed, and served to a customer at Big Bill's Longhorn Steakhouse off Route 35 near Dallas, Texas. Pablo's wishes were honored when the following eulogy was read to the diner who received him:
"Poetry is like bread for the soul, and let my remains echo in your palate with eternal summer warmness. Let this meal be as complimentary as my critics, but let the gratuity still reflect a supper well purchased. Throw one graceful hand in the air and with the other commend a nearby waitress with the slap of an ass cheek. Pablo is gone, but fried spuds everywhere crunch with his purpose."
See also[edit]
- Neruda's signature use of green ink


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It's the 5th of July 1969 and arguably the biggest rock and roll band in the world are about to take to the stage. The venue is Hyde Park and upward of half a million Rolling Stones fans are enjoying the sunshine and waiting with eager anticipation to witness the debut performance from the new boy, Mick Taylor.
They're also waiting to pay their respects to the band's much loved ex-guitarist and founder member, Brian Jones, who had been found dead just two days earlier. No pressure there then.
At that point Mick was just out of his teens and fresh from his three-year apprenticeship with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, a particularly fertile training ground for superb blues guitarists when you consider his predecessors were legends Eric Clapton and Peter Green.
Taylor's addition to The Rolling Stones seemed to breathe new life into the band, with his lyrical and melodic guitar style inspiring a change of direction to include more country-blues and folk elements within the group's sound. It's undeniable that Mick's contribution greatly expanded the Stones' sonic palette, and helped them to achieve and maintain what many consider to be the quintet's creative and commercial peak.
Whilst Mick continues to maintain his position as one the UK's supreme blues guitar talents, with numerous releases to his name as both a band leader and as a sideman, we've decided here to concentrate on the Rolling Stones period of his career. His contribution to one of the greatest bands of all time was massive, and deserves all the recognition and praise we can bestow upon it.
There are two complete solo studies for you here, the first using orthodox playing technique over a C7 straight eighth-note groove, whilst the second solo, over a standard 12-bar progression in E, showcases Mick's technique of executing slide in standard tuning. Whilst there are many guitarists that have adopted this method successfully - Joe Walsh, Jeff Beck, Brett Garsed etc - this area is widely considered to be Taylor's speciality.
Arguably his take on standard tuning slide guitar sounds the most 'authentic' (ie, open tuning and fingerstyle) which considering the unorthodox nature of its execution is no mean feat.
As always, treat these solo studies as the springboard to further exploration, and remember to have fun. It may only be rock and roll, but how we like it!
Next page: audio and tab examples
Solo 1: C7 vamp
Backing track:
(Click tab to enlarge)
[Bars 1-2] The trick to achieving the bend in bar 1 is to initially support the second finger, but once this bend is in place you need to allow the first finger to resume its usual function of fretting notes. This may take some time so be patient, and it may be an idea to select a guitar with fairly light strings. It's also crucial that you don't have a floating vibrato system, as the poor bridge won't know if it's coming or going and the tuning will be all over the place. That's why country players like Teles!
[Bars 3-6] Mick openly admits that he doesn't consider scales when he's soloing, preferring to think of the underlying chord tones. With this in mind we could consider the majority of the material contained within these bars to be either derived from the major pentatonic scale (R 2 3 5 6), or from a major triad with the additional 2nd and 6th degrees. We come up with the same answer but the second is arguably more flexible, as it allows us to select other appropriate intervals at any point (eg 4th) and drop them in at any point, as we do here in bars 4 and 5.
[Bars 7-8] It's undeniable that BB King and Eric Clapton would have influenced Taylor. Like Clapton, Taylor served his apprenticeship as a Bluesbreaker, and a modern blues player without a hint of BB is almost inconceivable. Taylor's use of this three-against-four rhythmic displacement allows him to repeat the exact same three-note figure many times without sounding tedious or predictable, as each time the motif repeats the strong down beat is in a different place.
Next page: a slide-guitar example
Solo 2: slide blues
Backing track:
(Click tab to enlarge)
[Bars 1-4] Mick considers his approach to be exactly the same as regular fretted guitar, but with a slide effect and the odd two or three note chord inserted for good measure.
[Bars 5-8] The two main technical considerations here are the transition from the high 12th fret area to the open position, facilitated via the use of open strings, and once you're down there, the use of the slide to execute pull-offs exactly as you would with regular fretting technique. You need to be bold, direct and dynamic if you want to sound like Mick. His playing has authority so don't be afraid to really dig in.
[Bars 9-12] The real giveaway that Taylor sees things from a chord-tone perspective can be seen in our concluding four-bar phrase, specifically the final notes in both bars 10 and 11. We're targeting in this case the root of E, then the major 7th a semitone below, and then finally resolving back to the root, lovely! You can repeat this procedure with each and every chord-tone at any point within the harmonic sequence. This is an incredibly simple but highly effective melodic device.

subset: commoncrawl


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Table of Contents
Disruption of Petraeus Speech Draws Rebukes from Georgetown Students
Yesterday at Georgetown University, approximately fifteen anti-war protesters attempted to disrupt a speech and accompanying question-and-answer session with David Petraeus, current Commander of the U.S. Central Command. The Hoya reports:
While his speech was originally slated to be an update address sponsored by the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, after making brief remarks, Petraeus turned the event into a forum for open and candid conversation. He was cut off several times throughout the event, however, due to interruptions by protesters, who rose from their seats to read aloud names and ages of victims of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The protesters were escorted out after being warned multiple times about the university's free speech policy. [...]
We're very used to this kind of thing at FIRE. All too often, one segment of the college community is offended by even the thought of someone with controversial views (or, for that matter, views simply not in line with their own) being invited to their hallowed campus, and is determined to prevent these views from being heard and any meaningful dialogue on the issues at hand from being conducted. This crude use of the "heckler's veto" is one of the worst manifestations of what Greg calls "unlearning liberty"—a toxic byproduct of a university culture dominated by feverish political correctness and administrative risk aversion.
Fortunately, the other Georgetown students in the audience weren't having it:
"What I took away from this speech was how embarrassing it was to see those kids standing up. There is a way to go about these things, and it was extremely rude," Matt Loyd (SFS '10) said.
"I feel that freedom of speech is a two-way street, and clearly the protesters didn't feel the need to give Gen. Petraeus a chance to respond," said Matt Hipple (SFS '09), an ensign in the Navy.
Student political groups on campus also criticized the protesters for expressing their views inappropriately.
"We, the Georgetown University College Democrats, believe that right to free speech defines our American democracy. However, it is only when this free speech is combined with a respect for a diversity of opinions that we can have constructive and civil political discourse," William Vogt (SFS '12), GUCD communications director, wrote in a statement. "Short of that, we do ourselves and our nation a disservice when we drown out the voices of those with whom we disagree, closing our minds and stifling debate."
We couldn't have said it better. The Hoya's editorial board had similarly harsh words for the protesters today:
Georgetown's Speech and Discussion [sic] Policy guides us in our approach to on-campus dialogue: "A university is many things; but central to its being is discourse, discussion, debate: the untrammeled expression of ideas and information. This discourse is carried on communally: We all speak and we all listen."
But we did not all listen yesterday when Gen. David Petraeus, commander of U.S. Central Command, arrived in Gaston Hall to speak to the university community. In fact, we could not listen because a small group of protesters decided to shout over the general, paralyzing his speech in the process. What should have been an event characterized by an intelligent exchange of ideas quickly devolved into a shouting match, with Petraeus acting as little more than a spectator.
Some might argue that yesterday's display was nothing more than students exercising their right to free speech. Free speech, however, can and should be fairly limited by considerations of time, place and manner. Shouting down another individual who has been invited to speak by the university is unacceptable.
Citing the Speech and Expression Policy's prohibition on "making it impossible for others to speak or be heard or seen, or in any way obstructing the free exchange of ideas," the Hoya's editorial board concludes that "[y]esterday's outburst was an embarrassment to this university—as well as to the students who were respectfully attentive to the general—and the protesters ought to be held accountable for their actions."
Bravo, Georgetown students, for learning liberty.
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name | The Chrysalids |
image | |
image caption | 1977 Penguin Cover |
author | John Wyndham |
country | United Kingdom |
language | English |
genre | Science-fiction |
publisher | Penguin |
release date | 1955 |
media type | Print (Hardcover and Paperback) |
pages | 208 |
isbn | 0140013083 |
This is the world of David Strorm, the main character in the novel. As a young child, he often dreamed of a city filled with objects considered fantastical in his world, such as flying machines and carts that move without horses.
However, as David grows older, he realizes that he has the ability to communicate telepathically with certain other children. This ability means that David would be considered to be a Blasphemy in his community.
David does not understand the severity of such status until he meets Sophie, a girl who was born with an extra toe on each foot. David befriends Sophie and keeps her secret. When her secret is discovered by another boy in the district, Sophie and her family are forced to flee. As a result David realizes that, if his secret is discovered, he will suffer dire consequences.
As David gets older, he and the other telepathic children master the use of their abilities. David's forward-thinking uncle, Axel, becomes aware of David's telepathic power; he makes several efforts to convince David that the extra ability is something worth having, but must be concealed. The others agree to keep their secret, and they are able to live normally for some years.
The secret is threatened when one of the others, Anne, chooses to marry a normal (non-telepath) man; although Anne attempts to renounce her powers, her husband eventually discovers the truth, putting the lives and David and his fellows in danger. Another risk emerges when it becomes evident that David's little sister, Petra, possesses far greater powers of telepathy. Petra's thought projection is painfully strong and usually involuntary; she is young, and her powers are tied directly to her emotions. When she gets upset, she becomes a compulsive beacon, drawing the others to her. This creates a potentially dangerous situation.
Members of the community become aware of David's powers, and he must flee with Petra and his girlfriend, Rosalind, who has also been revealed as telepathic. They must make a dangerous journey in search of a region where no one knows who they are, or why they left their home.
On their journey, Petra begins communicating with a woman in a faraway land, who promises to send help. She also promises to bring them to Sealand, a land which is populated by telepathic people. David and the girls must avoid the posse from their district that continues to pursue them, and are captured the Fringe people, a group of exiled Blasphemies who seek revenge.
Themes examined in The Chrysalids include the inevitability of change, man's inhumanity to his fellow man, ignorance, and bigotry. Despite being over 50 years old, the ideas expressed in this science-fiction novel are still timely today. This novel is an excellent reader for individuals who are avid readers of classic science-fiction.
David's home town, also the name of his father's farm. It is a small agricultural community, part of the larger theocracy of Labrador. The neighbouring town is Kentak. On a present-day map, Waknuk can be identified with Wabush in south-western Labrador, adjacent to Labrador City.
A Christian fundamentalist civilisation which arose in North America centuries after a nuclear holocaust (dimly remembered as "Tribulation," and attributed to the wrath of God). In the time of the novel, Labrador society is at a technological level roughly comparable 18th-Century America - possessing sailing ships and firearms, but no heavy industry. The capital of Labrador, on the coast down river from Waknuk, is Rigo (Rigolet, in the real world).
The island of Newf (Newfoundland) is also civilised, but knowledge of the rest of the world is vague and colored by religious dogma. The inhabitants of Labrador and Newf appear to be normal humans who have retained the pre-Tribulation phenotype; they believe it is their sacred mission to preserve this form, and all other species decreed by God, against the rampant mutations which have continued since the fall of Tribulation.
Wild Country
Frontier lands, lying south and south-west of Waknuk, where the chance of breeding true is still less than 50%. Some Offences among crops and animals have to be tolerated here.
The enigmatic land beyond Wild Country. Apparently suffered heavier radioactive contamination than the rest of Labrador, being closer to the original nuclear bombings. It is essentially a lawless land and subject to uncontrolled mutation. This is also where the unfortunate human mutants from civilised Labrador communities are exiled. Examples include Gordon (the spider-man), and Sophie. The monstrous inhabitants of the Fringes are semi-mythical among Labrador people, subjects of folk tales and cautionary children's stories.
Outside of the Fringes. These lands are still dangerously radioactive, and it is believed that anyone who sets foot there will die. Sailors who navigate along the Badlands coast south of Newf report seeing a jungle of fantastic mutations. David's uncle Axel describes tree-sized grasses, succulents like houses with 10-foot spines, cable-like climbing plants which grow directly into the sea, unnameable beasts and birds. Conventional Labrador teaching is that most of the world consists of Badlands, although explorers have discovered other populated regions further south.
Black Coasts
The sites of past nuclear detonations, at the center of the Badlands: a series of blasted, barren regions where the ground is fused into black glass, where nothing can grow, and even the waters offshore are sterile. Any close approach by ship leads to sickness and usually death; observers who survived told of city ruins which glow faintly in the dark.
New Zealand, which was isolated enough to largely escape the holocaust. Advanced industrial civilisation has arisen here again, and telepathy has become universal among the populace. Zealanders were unaware of the distant Labrador civilisation, until one of their strongest telepaths picked up Petra Strorm's prodidgious thought transmissions. (The letter Z has been forgotten in Labrador, causing David and Rosalind to mispronounce the name Zealand).
Chapter Summaries
Chapter One
In the first chapter, young David Strorm is introduced. In the first paragraph he describes a recurring dream that he remembers vividly. This dream is of a magnificent city bordered by ocean, although he has never seen the sea in waking life. Once, he recalls admitting this dream to his eldest sister and inquires about the existence of any such place, to which she replies that, although this city does not exist, it may have existed long ago, before God sent Tribulation. She also warns him to suppress such thoughts, for the other people in society did not have such images in their heads either awake or asleep. Fortunately, David has the sense to take this advice seriously.
Being a considerably adventurous and independent child, he ventures forth upon a high bank he often visits, which has sand slopes he much enjoys sliding down. While indulging in this pastime of his, a little girl who we come to know as Sophie inquires if what David is doing is any fun. Upon invitation, she agrees to join him in his game. Following a few entertaining slides down the dune, Sophie suddenly catches her foot in a small crevice. While her snagged foot causes her intense pain she adamantly refuses David's suggestion to remove the shoe to facilitate the extraction of her foot. After much convincing she obliges but makes David promise not to tell anyone of what he sees. To David's surprise, he notices that Sophie's foot has an extra toe, but makes nothing of the fact.
David helps the injured girl back to her home, where he is uneasily questioned by Sophie's tense mother. She pleads him not to reveal Sophie's deformity at any cost, for if people were to discover it they would be very mean to her. David agrees solemnly, sensing the severity behind Mrs. Wender's pleas. Being confused by the seriousness of his afternoon, David wanders home in intense thought. It suddenly dawns on him the reason for which Sophie's mother made him swear to secrecy, as the Definition of Man recites itself in his mind, "And each leg shall be jointed twice and shall have one foot and each foot 5 toes. And any creature that shall seem to be human, but is not formed thus, is not human. It is a blasphemy against the true image of God, and hateful in the sight of God." The full weight of the secret now rest heavily on David.
Chapter Two
After meeting Sophie, David returns to his home in the fiercely religious society of Waknuk. The reader acquires a sense of the background from which David's genealogy stems. His home is one of the eldest in the village and is decorated with multiple proverbs and quotes from ancient religious volumes such as the "Repentances" and the Bible, which are carved and burned into wood. We learn that David's father, Joseph Strorm, is a prominent and devout community leader amongst the villagers. We learn of David's grandfather Elias Strorm, an evangelistic pioneer from the East, who was one of the first to establish himself in the Waknuk district, along with his submissive younger wife. Joseph's demeanor is easily explained by his father's harsh religious views.
It is also established that it is the individual responsibility of each individual citizen of Waknuk to be wary of Offenses and Blasphemies - and this often times means purging mutated livestock and crops that carry the title of an Offence. It is also mentioned that David's father is the farmer whom has been know to purge the most Deviations in the town. It is debatable as to whether or not Joseph's father is burdened by a surplus of Deviations in his surroundings, or whether he is one of the select few who do not have double standards. The deviations coming more into play, it is mentioned that Blasphemies are somewhat of horrific folklore and used to the advantage of the pure people as a means of disciplining young children. This may stem from the fact that on occasion, the deformed outcast Blasphemies have been know to venture into Waknuk to raid the village of crops and livestock for their survival in their unforgiving land of the Fringes.
Chapter Three
In the beginning of chapter 3, we see that David has established a regular routine out of visiting Sophie. Once Sophie's foot is completely healed, he brings her to one of the interesting sights in the county of Waknuk; the steam engine. Sophie is amazed and this brings forth mild debate about the technological advancements the Old People owned. Once David brings Sophie back home, David sees Mr. Wender, Sophie's father. We learn that there is visible tension between John and David, David believes that these feeling steam from the fact that Mr. Wender does not trust him: this is understandable, since he is the son of Joseph Strorm whose reputation precedes him in the purging of Deviations. However, David understands the severity of the situation Sophie is going through. This leads to a recollection David lived through recently.
While splitting wood one day, David got a splinter. Having tried to retrieve the lodged piece of wood from his hand, it began to bleed. He then went to the house to bandage the wound and everyone was too busy to assist him. Cursing under his breath, he mused at how convenient it would be to have a third arm. After this statement, there was a long pause and David's father was visibly mortified. He harshly punished his son for wishing to be a Blasphemy. Despite his meek responses, all people present were ordered to appeal to God for forgiveness. He was then sent to his room for the remainder of the evening, where Joseph gave him a beating. That night, sleep came uneasily to David. He had a horrid dream about one of the ceremonies in which his father purges the farm Offences. However there is one distinct difference: instead of a deformed goat or an imperfect stalk of corn, Joseph Strorm is killing young Sophie. David suddenly awoke and remembers feeling terrible. He knows that if Mr. Wender had seen his horror and understood his deep fear of her secret being revealed, Mr. Wender would be much more trusting.
Chapter Four
On one occasion, when David is not visiting Sophie, he sits in the yard talking with his half-cousin Rosalind; this conversation however is not an ordinary one. David is speaking to her with his mind (telepathically) while she is at home on her own family farm. Uncle Axel, the farm handyman, comes across young David speaking to what seems as nobody. This strikes him as odd and he decides to question the boy. David explains that he is able to speak to certain people through his mind, people far away, well out of shouting distance. Uncle Axel, being one of David's closest and most understanding relatives, advises him to keep this gift to himself - and not to speak aloud whilst sharing thoughts remotely. David realizes now that this ability is abnormal, comparable to Sophie's extra toes; knowing full well the repercussions of a Blasphemy, he willingly abides to secrecy. Having made this connection, David hurriedly contacts all the people he is able to exchange thoughts with and explains the risk of them being discovered. They all agree to secrecy also. Incidentally, this is the first decision they make unanimously and a sort of group dynamic is established.
We learn that the telepaths are all children, scattered around Waknuk and the neighbouring communities: David and Rosalind, Michael, Rachel and Anne, Sally and Katherine, and Mark. There was another who was cut off recently; Axel identifies him as a boy killed in a logging accident. Some others have a trace of telepathic ability, but too weak to be meaningful.
Soon after, David hears of an impending invasion from the Fringes, expected to be much more severe that the minor raids normally inflicted by Fringe dwellers. The people of Waknuk devise a plan to counter the attackers. During the siege, the villagers succeed in capturing two of the enemy leaders, who are held captive on Joseph's farm. David is disappointed at the normalcy of the prisoners. However, he is shocked to notice that one of the men captured looks almost identical to his father with a slightly more unkempt appearance - and the long, gangling, spider-like limbs which are his particular deviation. This spider-man soon escapes and disappears.
After the attack, we meet the infamous Uncle Angus Morton, Rosalind's father, who is a considerably controversial character in the community of Waknuk. It appears that the man has very elastic principles and loves to antagonize Joseph Strorm. On this particular occasion, he brags of acquiring two great horses measuring 26 hands high. This statement ignites Joseph's suspicions that the creature are Offences. He confront the town inspector to verify the correctness of these horses. The inspector insists that the horses purchased by Uncle Angus are legitimate and government approved, the result of selective breeding and not mutation. In reaction to Joseph's protests he refers to an embarressing incident involving the Dakers' family cat, which had never possessed a tail. Joseph Strorm was convinced that the creature was a Deviation and therefore killed the cat, before being notified that it belonged to a legitimate breed.
David continues his friendship with Sophie and since she cannot attend school, David takes it upon himself to educate her in matters of Geography, Math and Ethics, which are the principal topics covered in his own schooling.
Chapter Five
The following spring proves to be relatively "Deviance-free". The village of Waknuk breaks the local "Purity record". David often sneaks away to be with Sophie (David's parents know nothing about her). They much enjoy fishing for shrimps in a secluded stream. David pursues a catch barefoot and eventually coaxes Sophie to do the same, despite her deformity. On one particular occasion, the pair are surprised by the son of the local blacksmith, Allan. David is made uneasy by his presence. Allan inquires as to who the young girl is (for Sophie has had minimal contact with other children) - and then notices something peculiar. On a rock, there is a wet footprint with the imprint of an extra toe. He then deduces that this footprint is Sophie's and prepares to make the Blasphemy public. In an attempt to stop the boy, David attacks him. After a brief scuffle, Allan suddenly falls limp; Sophie knocked the boy out with a blow to the head.
David immediately takes Sophie home; they explain what has happened, and Sophie's parents see fit to leave town because their daughter is at risk. David asks to go with them but they reluctantly refuse, because his disappearance would raise the profile of their own departure enormously, and have them closely followed. After they are gone, David decides to sleep at the empty Wender residence. The next morning he hurries home, hoping to return to his room early enough to pretend that he was there the entire night. This, however, is not the case. David's father is livid about his son' absence, and is in the company of the local inspector. They question David about Sophie and David pleads ignorance. This furthers Joseph's temper and David is once again detained in his room for a severe beating. Afterwards, David lies in his bed and sobs because of the secret he had told.
Chapter Six
After having suffered a harsh beating from his father for sleeping at the Wender's deserted house, he is left alone in his bedroom and he talks to his friends who share his telepathic ability he tells them about Sophie and her secret. As he attempts to find sleep, he dreams again of the once familiar Big City. In desperation, David decides to escape from Waknuk. When he awakens the following morning, He is questioned by the Inspector and David is still very evasive David's doubts in his culture grow steadily especially with the lecturing of the Inspector about the Devil tempting us from purity during this discourse, they are interrupted by David's father who announces that the Wender's have been captured. David is grief stricken and guilt ridden until the Inspector reassures him that the capturing of the Wender's was purely by chance of routine patrollers and that it was not what they had spoken about that had given them away.
A few days later, David confides in his Uncle Axel and tells him of his plans to run away, Uncle Axel strongly advises against doing so. Despite David's persistence, Uncle Axel continues to tell him of the world beyond the county of Waknuk. He explains what lies south Rigo, things that have never been taught to David in school. He then explains that the terrain outside of their familiar territory is plagued with dangerous deviations and that there are unspeakable monstrosities in areas known only as the Black Coasts. The explorer, Marther, gave this name to the lands beyond in his writings during various expeditions particularly one on the Venture, the only known ship to have returned from the land beyond the black coasts with tangible artifacts. He goes on to elaborate on the intense deviations and their nature.
Uncle Axel Also attempts to comfort David about his gift and explains that there are many different races outside of Waknuk and therefore many different definitions of what the norm is and how each of these different races believe they are of the true image of God. He also points out inaccuracies in the book,Repentances and tries to break David of the mold of thought he is forced into from school and his father's harsh teachings. The existence of other possible true forms suggests that David and the others who share his gift could just as well be closer to the true image of god as anyone else. He inquires to know exactly how many people David can actually speak to and David explains that there were formerly 8 he has been unable to reach the eighth member for some time now he worries that something bad may have happened to him and that it may come across all the others who share their gift. Uncle Axel promises to discover the reason behind the absence of their 8th counterpart. David is convinced to stay in Waknuk for the time being.
Chapter Seven
David's mother having been pregnant for the past 9 months finally gives birth to a child. The child must obtain its certificate of normalcy before it can be addressed as alive and existing. Until the inspector does so the fact that there is new life in the household remains unacknowledged. Unfortunately, the Inspector is late and his tardiness angers Joseph Strorm. Upon his arrival, he is leisurely and unrushed which is almost as frustrating to Joseph. The new child is found to be perfectly normal and is certified. Her existence is confirmed and Petra Strorm is greeted into the world.
A few days following Petra's birth, David's aunt whom he is very fond of, comes for a visit with her own newborn child. The sisters are thrilled at their new children until Harriet Somberly states that she has yet to certify her daughter because she knows her daughter will not meet the normalcy standards. Desperately she attempts to convince sister to allow her to borrow the infant Petra to have her certified instead of her own daughter. While pleading she says that her husband would leave her if she were to produce another Deviation and that her sister is the only chance she has to save the child she loves. Harriet's sister is disgusted and adamant upon her refusal. She is outraged that her sister brought such filth into her home and orders her sister to leave immediately. Joseph arrives and is equally appalled by what Harriet has done. He chastises her for having sinned and for even having thought of such a devilish way to save a Blasphemy. Harriet leaves and the next day she is found dead in a river with no baby to speak of.
Chapter Eight
After having heard of Harriet's death, she is mentioned in the evening prayer but never again. She is literally wiped from knowledge. It is implied that her death was a suicide. Scared by the recent turn of events, David develops an intense desire to become normal and never be in a position like his aunt. He begins to pray constantly to lose his ability. On one particular morning, his Uncle Axel calls him out to help him fix a plough.
David confides his fears associated with the death of Harriet, however, his uncle reassures him and helps him find reason and acceptance of his ability. They move on to the case at hand and Uncle Axel reveals that the boy whom David and the others have lost contact with was unfortunately killed while cutting timber and was the victim of a crashing tree. David shares this discovery with the other people whom he can communicate with. We become aware of them each specifically:
- Michael
- Sally
- Katherine
- Mark
- Anne
- Rachel
- Rosalind
- David
We learn that Michael goes to school in a different area and learns things that the rest of the children do not. He is able to pass on the others what he is being taught and they in turn help him with his lessons. A sense of functional unity is found for the next six years until a 9th person is suddenly revealed.
Chapter Nine
Six years after the death of Harriet, David is one day working out in the fields and he suddenly feels an unstoppable need to run, urgent and unlike anything he has ever felt before. The mental cries are painful and persistent and continue until he reaches a river where his youngest sister Petra is about to drown. He successfully saves her and Rosalind also arrives. She also felt the cries and states that the calling was stronger than anything any of them are capable of. Upon their return they are questioned by surrounding people asking how they could have possibly known what had happened to Petra.
They claim that her cries of distress were perfectly audible to anyone and that they are surprised no one had heard them. That night, David has terrible dreams of a purging ceremony where the deviation to be killed this time is not a crop or animal or even Sophie but David sees his sister Petra at the hands of her father. The next morning David desperately tries to contact his sister through thought shapes but is unable to. He attributes this to her being so young and unaware of her ability and convinced that the only reason that she was able to make such a cry of distress was because she was in a position of such intense danger. David considers openly telling her but decides against it because it would only make him more vulnerable to discovery and that he could tell her when she is older. This recent development is still very unsettling. David has felt a sense of impending misfortune for some time now.
He refers to last year when there was an uncommonly high deviation level his father alone had lost 3 fields as had Angus Morton a persistent rival of Joseph's. It is said that there were a total of 35 field burnings due to Deviations. David recalls getting an earful from Old Jacob a villager who has seen his share of years. Old Jacob attributes this recent hike in imperfections to corruption in government and carelessness of the youth. He believes that the changes are the early beginnings of a new age Tribulation. This heightens David's self-awareness and intensifies the need to be secretive the logic being that with things going wrong, people will have a keep eye for scapegoats for imperfection. This anxiety is slowly abated over time until they discover that Anne, one of the people who can send thought shapes like David, plans to marry.
Chapter Ten
The man Anne is to wed is not only a person of the norm but the son of the local blacksmith - the same Allan who discovered Sophie Wender's secret during childhood. At first the group take the proposed marriage seriously because of the social difference between the two families. However, the engagement is formally recognized. Despite vivid warnings against this union, Anne is determined and goes so far as blocking the others out. The remaining people of the group are understandably uneasy being aware of the vulnerability and submissiveness a bride can incarnate and the reputation of Allan based of previous acts. David shares this dilemma with Uncle Axel and he strongly agrees with where David stands. He even suggests that it way even be worth killing Anne to protect their secret. David however refuses this option. Once Anne is officially wed, she severs any ties with everyone else who share the gift of thought-shapes. During this, feelings between Rosalind and David blossom and they discover true love. However, since Rosalind is the daughter of Angus Morton, there is some familial rivalry, which complicates their love causing them to remain secretive of their bond.
A mere 6 months after Anne's marriage to Allan, he is found dead in a forest with an arrow through his neck. David and the group simultaneously attempt to reach out to Anne who is convinced that they had something to do with Allan's death. The next day, Rachel part of the group and also Anne's sister, tries to confront her, but Anne does not answer her door. Alarmed, Rachel reaches the neighbor and they break into the house to find that Anne has hanged herself. By her corpse, there is a letter addressed to the inspector the neighbor finds but since she is unable to read, she assumes it is addressed to the deceased girl's family. Rachel opens the letter and finds that it denounces all of the people who are able to send thought shapes. The letter is destroyed. However tragic the means to an end; the tension breaks. The murder of Allan still remains unsolved. Gossip plagues Waknuk but no one is unanimously suspected.
Chapter Eleven
The spring following the death of Allan is relatively Deviance free there is a grand total of only 2 fields burned none of which belong to either Angus Morton or Joseph Strorm. David's little sister Petra grows up and develops an adventurous side on one particular occasion, she ventures off into the forest on horseback she is forbidden to visit. Once again, David is suddenly summoned by a violently powerful thought shape and follows it to the source the call also drives Michael and Rosalind to do the same and they are confronted by the sight of a terrible Deviation feasting away at Petra's pony. The Deviation is killed and Petra is rescued. All others in the group also meet in the forest having been signaled by the cry. This is the first time they all meet in person. Suddenly a Jerome Skinner who followed them in to the forest surprises them all. They manage to evade his suspicions. As a group they each a consensus that Petra's calls, if there are more, are to be handled strictly. David and Rosalind agree to take responsibility for responding, but if the calls become overwhelmingly intense, anyone who can reach Petra is to do so and make her lose consciousness immediately.
After the incident, David makes another attempt to teach his sister thought shapes and help her control her power. She reveals that she is able to hear people further away that David cannot. David returns to Uncle Axel who asks David if he's been careless and speculates that people are suspecting things. He mentions Joe Darley. He concedes to having killed Allan because he knew that Anne had told him everything and that at the time he was killed he was on his way to tell the Inspector. When asked about Jerome Skinner, Uncle Axel says he will find out who he is. When David confers with the others, Michael suggests that they should all be on their guard and be ready to leave on short notice if things go wrong.
Chapter Twelve
One night, David awakens suddenly to the signal of others telling him that some of the Chrysalids have been captured. In a panic he immediately reaches Petra and they meet with Rosalind. With nothing but a horse, they make their escape from the land of Waknuk into uncharted and dangerous territory. Soon after, David is alerted by Michael who tells them that they are being followed and should maintain constant vigilance. This warning is proven true when Rosalind kills a man threatening their surreptitiousness. The importance of secrecy is solidified by this and therefore, David and Rosalind decide to travel solely at night. On the following day, they are reached by the desperate cries of one of the captured Chrysalids; Katherine. We learn that she is being withheld against her will by the inspector. She is being tortured for information, unfortunately with success. Fortunately however, from what Katharine was forced to divulge, the inspector is only aware of the existence of David, Petra and Rosalind (and obviously Katherine).
Determined, the inspector states a reward for the capture of the escaped Deviations; he is entirely committed to learning about the ability of the Chrysalids and guarantee that such a blasphemy never occurs again. David and his companions decide to venture into the land of the Fringes to lose the stalking puritans and on Michaels behalf, he says he will see as to how he can fake the deaths of the escapees in a effort to put an end to the manhunt. When Michael communicates with Petra she asks him why the messages he sends are mixed with those of another mystery person. This mystery person is found to be a girl who Petra feels she can identify with. She tells this person their coordinates and they exchange information. When Petra confers with David he realizes that the descriptions Petra's new friends environment seems to match David's dreams from long ago. David, Petra and Rosalind feel an elevated intensity motivating their quest.
Chapter Thirteen
On their journey, a man on their path confronts the group. Stranded, they resort to knocking him off his horse and ride on in a hurry. Petra continues to converse with the girls from David's dream city. She explains to them that she is sending help to rescue them and bring them to a safe place but until then, Petra must be protected at all costs. Soon after, Michael tells the group that the pursuit is back in full force. Ironically, they are shot at while traveling and they chose to take cover in the woods. When they think all is safe, they reach a clearing and suddenly from above something unknown and solid falls upon David and makes him loose consciousness instantly.
Chapter Fourteen
When David regains consciousness, he notices that they have been captured by the Fringe folk and they are being taken prisoner. Despite this they notice that they are now in range with the girl from David's dreamland (Sealand) so that now he and Rosalind can now communicate with her instead of just Petra due to her stronger power. When the Fringe people reach their destination David comes face to face with the spider-like man he once met during a raid in his hometown many years ago, the man who bore a striking resemblance to Joseph Strorm. We learn that this man is indeed David's uncle. We learn that David's uncle's abnormality was not discovered until four years after his birth. Thankfully, his mother saved him from his tragic fate but however Gordon still vows revenge on the ways of the people of Waknuk, more particularly his idealist ignorant brother. In an act of brutality, the people of the Fringes decide to keep the two girls traveling with David for breeding purposes. Gordon encourages David not to protest and he is driven outside the Fringe village where he is beaten unconscious again.
Chapter Fifteen
Once David resurfaces, he notices he is being dragged but none other that his old time friend from Waknuk; Sophie Wender. Due to her deformity she lives with the rest of the Fringe people and we learn that she loves the Spider-Man but was rendered infertile upon her banishment from Waknuk to assure that she would not reproduce her deviation once released into the Fringes. Therefore she is jealous of the potential the new prisoners have that she doesn't. Motivated by her own devices she chooses to help David back into the Fringes town to rescue his friends so that they may continue on with their quest. David contacts Michael and he notifies him that the team following he Petra and Rosalind are making slow progress because of the antagonizing attacks from the Fringe people. Sophie is to creep into Gordon's tent where the girls are being held and she is to rescue them unnoticed. She therefore urges him to tell the girls to make absolutely no noise or sign of alarm once she arrives. Sophie's plan proves successful and Petra David and Rosalind are reunited Sophie is seen cleaning blood from her hands and feet upon her exit from Gordon's tent.
Chapter Sixteen
Once escaped, Sophie explains to David that they are safe with her but that they must lay low until the search is off because the Fringe people will surely seek them out once they notice that their two "breeders" are missing. Rosalind is uneasy about trusting Sophie. Jealousy and animosity are very present for Sophie is bitter about the way Gordon values Rosalind for the things Sophie lacks. She therefore wishes she could offer the gift of children to the man she loves. Michael is with the group of approaching Waknukians. Michael hopes that they can count on the help that the girl from Sealand is promising. She tells them that she is roughly eight and a half hours away. Sophie momentarily leaves the group and upon her return, she mentions that the Fringe people pursuing them are leaving the fight from the Waknuk people to resume their original pursuit yet the Waknuk attack is still in full force. David considers the repercussions if he were to confront his father in battle. Sensing his anxiety, the girl from Sealand urges him to let go of his father because the way of life his people follow is dying and virtually obsolete.
Sophie once again leaves for reconnaissance and returns roughly one hour later saying that the Waknuk group is approaching. David communicates with Michael and tells him to stay back from the forefront of the attack to avoid getting hurt so that they can reunite. The strange girl once again contacts the group to let them know that she will be able to arrive a hour earlier than originally planned. Sophie heads back out to see the progress. As she does so, the Fringe people and the Waknuk party clash. In the heat of the battle Gordon shoots Joseph Strorm in the chest with an arrow killing him. The Spiderman picks up Sophie who was by his side and they make a run for it. Soon he is pummeled by a downpour of arrows and dies. Sophie attempts to run away and is shot in the arm and neck and dies. During the culminating point in the attack, suddenly a craft appears in the sky. Looming over the combat, the violence ceases and some of the fighters flee, others watch. David calls Michael forth to rescue him for this is the craft from Sealand. The raft expels a form of cobweb-like substance upon the crowd below and paralyses them all rendering them invulnerable. This substance unfortunately also reaches David's hands and it has the same effect on him. He becomes entirely paralyzed.
Chapter Seventeen
Consumed by the web-like substance, David is immobile. He feels Michael (who is also enveloped by the web) worry that perhaps he should have simply run away from the descending craft in fear that it was a trap. He is reassured the Seawoman's soothing thoughts. The door of the fish shaped craft opens and out comes a figure. She frees Michael. The person is unrecognizable and is dressed in white garments from head to toe. The figure comes into the cave and removes the cobwebs from David, Petra and Rosalind who were also affected by the substance. The woman from Sealand is positively delighted to see Petra and gushes over her potential and explains how they will train her and endorse her gift with all the teachings they can offer.
They prepare to leave when Michael asks about saving Rachel from Waknuk, this however is not a possibility seeing as how the craft runs on fuel and only has a scarce remaining supply; just enough to return them to Sealand safely. Rosalind inquires about the other web-ridden people in the field below them and the Seawoman explains that the substance killed them. She explains that is an unfortunate yet necessary price to pay for the survival of their species. Michael gets Petra to reach Rachel for him and he tells her to tell Rachel that they are all safe and that he promises to retrieve her from Waknuk and that they will go to Sealand together. David, Petra and Rosalind embark upon the vessel and watch Michael as they leave. In the midst, they see Sealand horizon and David recognizes it exactly as the land in his dream. They hear thoughts buzzing and realize it's the entire society conversing beneath them.


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"Some pictures are worth a thousand words" goes the old saying. Did you know that bar graphs are "pictures" of certain kinds of information? Lots of utility companies depend on them to give you a snapshot of your electric or gas usage.
In this lesson you will:
- Learn how bar graphs display information
- Practice reading bar graphs
- Summarize the information you find in a bar graph
Photo: LuMaxArt / CC-BY-SA-2.0
Charts, Graphs, Tables


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Under the Lake Orion Community Schools' teachers union contract, the average teacher salary was $66,539 in 2009, which is 7 percent higher than the statewide average. The district provides health benefits costing $15,679 for the most commonly selected plan, which is 52 percent more costly than insurance provided to the average private-sector worker in Michigan.
Starting this year, teachers will contribute a nominal amount toward their coverage, but still far below the average 20 percent insurance contribution made by private-sector workers in Michigan. Previously, these Lake Orion school employees contributed nothing toward their coverage.
Many Lake Orion teachers collect substantially more than the average salary — as much as $79,850 for those at the top end who have accumulated additional pedagogy credentials and have more than five years on the job. The minimum salary was $55,017 for those meeting these criteria, which are the only criteria for setting teacher pay, since student performance is not considered.
Employees covered under the union contract receive automatic "step" pay hikes that range from 2 to 10 percent for each additional year on the job until they "top out" on the salary schedule; after that, they collect added "longevity" payments of between $949 and $3,269 each year. Coaching and accepting duties in other extracurricular programs draws additonal amounts ranging from $1,977 to $7,513 annually. Also, 28 different department chairpersons receive an extra $325 annually.
In addition to the health coverage described above, the district provides dental, vision, life ($50,000) and long-term disability insurance. Employees who opt out of the regular insurance because they're covered under a spouse's plan still get these additional benefits, plus an additional $100 per month.
Based on the current state-run teacher pension system, a Lake Orion teacher retiring after 30 years will get a $35,933 annual pension (based on the final "step" on the salary schedule), which they can begin collecting from their early 50s on. For many teachers this amount increases by 3 percent each year. Retired teachers also get subsidized health insurance.
Lake Orion schools collected $12,358 per student in property tax levies, state and federal grants in 2008-2009, of which around 70 percent was paid out to employees covered by the union contract described here.
See also:
How Does Michigan Teacher Pay Really Stack Up Against Private Sector and Teachers in Other States?
The Salary History of a West Bloomfield Public School Teacher
Employee Health Insurance Premium Co-Pays Still Rare at Public Schools
The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is a nonprofit research and educational institute that advances the principles of free markets and limited government. Through our research and education programs, we challenge government overreach and advocate for a free-market approach to public policy that frees people to realize their potential and dreams.
Please consider contributing to our work to advance a freer and more prosperous state.


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China's e-commerce market hasn't been easy for Walmart to crack, but the U.S. shopping giant isn't giving up. The company is investing even more in its e-commerce operations there, by taking full control of a Chinese online retailer.
On Thursday, Walmart bought up the remaining shares of Yihaodian, after previously owning 51 percent in the Chinese company. Financial details were not announced, but the move will accelerate Walmart's online expansion in China, the U.S. retail giant said.
Walmart's move was made possible by the Chinese government's recent decision to open the e-commerce market to more foreign investment. Last month, a Chinese regulator removed restrictions that barred foreign investors from taking a 100 percent stake in any e-commerce operation in the country. Before that, foreign investors such as Walmart had to enter into joint ventures with local Chinese players.
Although Walmart's move could help the U.S. company tap the vast Chinese market, gaining ground against the existing competition will be tough. Other U.S. e-commerce players such as Amazon.com and eBay have all struggled to compete with Alibaba Group, the country's leading online retailer.
In China, Alibaba's Tmall.com site has a 60 percent market share, according to Beijing-based research firm Analysys International. Amazon and Walmart's Yihaodian site, however, each have about a 1 percent share.
In spite of Alibaba's dominance, Walmart's Yihaodian site has been making gradual progress. It now has 100 million registered users, up from only 4 million back in 2010. Walmart's goal is to now integrate their physical stores with Yihaodian's mobile and online services for a better shopping experience.


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Kürzlich durchgeführte Suchaktionen
Beliebte Suchaktionen
This promotion is open to recipients of a personal invitation from Burberry. Each invitation is personal to the relevant named Burberry customer, and any invitation that is shared or forwarded will not be honoured. This promotion will apply to selected lines from Burberry's women's, men's, children's and accessories ranges ('Selected Items') from Thursday 18 November 2021 until Sunday 5 December 2021, subject to stock availability. Purchases made outside of these dates will not be eligible for this promotion. Discounts of up to 40 per cent shall be offered on selected items. Any purchase or prospective purchase will be subject to the applicable in-store or online terms and conditions and Burberry reserves the right to cancel, suspend or amend this promotion at any time. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this promotion, you can contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Axiom QSFP28 Module E100G-QSFP28-LR4L-2KM-AX
8 In stock
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Remember, everything you buy at Lotsofstuff.ca is brand new shipped directly from our Canadian warehouses with full manufacturer's warranty. Huge selection, amazing prices and fast shipping. Order your Axiom QSFP28 Module today!
- Optical fiber cable compatible - Spans afar and provides speedy data transmission rates between servers and network components
- 100 Gigabit Ethernet - High bandwidth performance, ease of use and reliable connectivity
- With 100GBase-LR4 technology, get up to 100Gbps data transfer rate over optical fiber cable
General Information | |
Manufacturer | Axiom Memory Solutions |
Manufacturer Part Number | E100G-QSFP28-LR4L-2KM-AX |
Manufacturer Website Address | http://search.axiomupgrades.com |
Brand Name | Axiom |
Product Name | QSFP28 Module |
Product Type | QSFP28 | Technical Information |
Application/Usage |
Interfaces/Ports |
Interfaces/Ports Details | 1 x LC 100GBase-LR4 Network | Media & Performance |
Media Type Supported | Optical Fiber |
Fiber Mode Supported | Single-mode |
Ethernet Technology | 100 Gigabit Ethernet |
Network Technology | 100GBase-LR4 |
Free Shipping Policy
At Lotsofstuff.ca we know our shoppers want to know their final cost up-front. We agree and that is why every single item available on Lotsofstuff.ca includes free standard ground shipping. You read that correctly. No shipping fees on any item ever. We ship from warehouses located across Canada and our systems will automatically ship from the closest warehouse to your address. We ship using all the major couriers including UPS, Purolator, FedEx and Canada Post. That means even with ground shipping you will often receive your product in under two days - sometimes even the next day. Our only exception to this rule are for residents of the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. If you want your product even faster we do have an express shipping option available upon checkout. Please note that at this time we only ship to Canadian addressess. No PO Boxes please.
Return Policy
We hope you're thrilled with your new product.
We understand sometimes it just doesn't work out and we are happy to offer amazing customer service throughout the return process.
Terms & Conditions:
- The return process must be initiated within 14 days of receipt.
- Once you receive return instructions the product must be received back within 7 business days.
- If there is an obvious issue with the product you received such as damaged by the shipping company or something else of a defective nature please contact us within two days of receipt. Kindly attach any photos so we can best assist.
- LotsOfStuff.ca fully stands behind our products. You can rest assured we will do everything we can to correct the issue.
- All items must be received back in the condition in which they were sent. If item was sent with a seal (as is the case with most consumer electronics) that seal must remain unbroken.
- Discretionary returns can be sent back to us using a courier of your choice.
- We inspect every return and will process your refund within 2-3 days of receipt.
- As we ship all our products to you for free, we withhold from your return our cost of shipping to you.
If you have any questions about our return procedures or policies please contact us anytime at Contact Us


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Internet use has exploded in Morocco, and cybercafés are everywhere, even in the smaller towns. On average they charge 10 DH to 20 DH an hour. Wi-Fi is becoming increasingly available in hotels and upscale cafés, so it's easy to keep in touch with friends and family with a laptop, tablet computer, or smartphone.
Take the same security precautions you would anywhere with your electronics, and always use a surge protector.
Cybercafés. Cybercafés is an excellent resource listing more than 4,200 Internet cafés worldwide. www.cybercafes.com.
The country code for Morocco is 212. The area codes are as follows: Agadir, 0528; Casablanca, 0522; Settat and El Jadida, 0523; Marrakesh, 0524; Fez and Meknès, 0535; Oujda, 0536; Rabat, 0537; Tangier, 0539; Taroudant, 0528; Tetouan, 0539. When dialing a Moroccan number from overseas, drop the initial 0 from the area code. To call locally, within the area code, just dial the number (local numbers are six digits).
For international calls from Morocco, dial 00 followed by the country code. Country codes: United States and Canada, 1; United Kingdom, 44; Australia, 61; New Zealand, 64. There are nine digits in local numbers, starting with "0." Note that when calling from out-of-country into Morocco you always drop the "0," and the number becomes nine digits. After the zero there is a two-number area code. Numbers that start with 01, 04, 05, 06 or 07 are mobile phones.
Calling Within Morocco
Public phones are located on the street, and you must purchase a telecarte, or phone card, to use them. They come in denominations from 10 DH to 100 DH. You insert the card and then place your local or international call.
Téléboutiques are everywhere in Morocco. These little shops have individual coin-operated phones. You feed the machine with dirhams to make local calls. You can also make international calls by calling directory assistance or calling directly.
Access directory assistance by dialing 160 from anywhere in the country. Many operators speak English, and all speak French.
Calling Outside Morocco
To call the United States directly from Morocco, dial 001, then the area code and phone number. Calls from Morocco are expensive, but rates are cut by 20% if you call after midnight. The cheapest option in direct international dialing is from a public phone, using a telecarte.
Both AT&T and MCI have local access numbers for making international calls. These are especially useful if you already have calling cards with these companies.
AT&T Direct Access. 00/211–0011.
Calling Cards
Phone cards for use in public phones can be purchased at any téléboutique, librarie, photocopy shop, tobacco shop, or small convenience store. Maroc Telecom and Meditel phone cards, to be used with mobile phones, can also be purchased in these places in denominations of 20, 30, 50, 100, 200, and 600 DH.
Mobile Phones
GSM mobile phones with international roaming capability work well in the cities and along major communication routes. Roaming fees can be steep, however: $0.99 a minute is considered reasonable. It's almost always cheaper to send a text message than to make a call, since text messages have a very low set fee (often less than $0.25).
Alternatively, if you just want to make local calls, you can buy a new SIM card in Morocco with a prepaid service plan (note that your provider will have to unlock your phone to use a different SIM card). You'll then have a local number and can make local calls at local rates. Morocco currently has two major mobile-phone companies, Maroc Telecom and Meditel. Both offer prepaid calling cards and phone sales. A simple phone costs as little as 100 DH. If spending more than a few weeks in the country or traveling in remote spots, these are indispensable.
Cellular Abroad. Cellular Abroad rents and sells GMS phones and sells SIM cards that work in individual or multiple countries. 800/287–5072; 310/862–7100; www.cellularabroad.com.
Mobal. Mobal rents mobiles and sells GSM phones (starting at $29) that will operate in 190 countries. Per-call rates vary throughout the world. 888/888–9162; www.mobalrental.com. Open 24/7.
Planet Fone. Planet Fone rents cell phones and international mobile broadband data keys, but it has expensive per-minute rates for usage. 888/988–4777; www.planetfone.com.


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Women2000 and Beyond: Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women through ICT
"The so-called digital divide is actually several gaps in one. There is a technological divide—great gaps in infrastructure. There is a content divide. A lot of web-based information is simply not relevant to the real needs of people. And nearly 70 per cent of the world's websites are in English, at times crowding out local voices and views. There is a gender divide, with women and girls enjoying less access to information technology than men and boys. This can be true of rich and poor countries alike."- United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan's statement to the World Summit on the Information Society, Geneva, 10 December 2003
This issue of Women2000 and Beyond focuses on the gender digital divide. It reviews the gender dimensions of ICT and how the United Nations has addressed the issues of gender equality and ICT. It explores potentials for empowering women through ICT and strategies to address the gender digital divide including at the national level.
Download PDF Version: English (460 Kb), French (740 Kb), Spanish (519 Kb)


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Celebration of the
Raelian New Years Day
August 6th
August 6 is the Raelian New Years Day. On this day, one of the worst crimes in humanity took place. On August 6, 1945, the US military dropped an atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan, killing more than 100,000 civilians. Obviously, the Raelian Movement does not celebrate this act; however, this act was an indication for the Elohim that the time had come for them to "send" their last Prophet and to reveal their final Message to humanity. In other words, we had entered the age of the Apocalypse, as apocalypse originally means revelation. Since 1945, humanity is at the crossroads of using science and technology for either destruction or the benefit of humanity. If science would be used for the common good, we could soon all live in a real paradise here and now on our shared planet.
During this official Raelian holiday, you can become a Raelian by having your Cellular Plan Transmission (CPT) ceremony performed. This simple ceremony is performed free of charge by a Raelian Guide. The CPT is an act of recognizing the Elohim as our creators and Maitreya Rael as their last messenger. The CPT ceremony clarifies the original meaning and intent of baptism, but without any mysticism whatsoever.
Cellular Plan Transmission
Find your local celebration events!
Izvedite resnico
Preberite sporočila, ki so nam jih dali Stvarniki med Rael-ovim NLP srečanjem leta 1973!


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Vice President
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 29, 2002
Remarks by the President at Hutchinson for Senate Dinner
Little Rock Convention Center
Little Rock, Arkansas
THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you all. I appreciate your warm welcome. Thank you. Well, thank you very much for coming out tonight. I'm proud to come back to Arkansas. I'm surprised you let a Texan come here this many times. (Laughter.) I came here today to talk about educational excellence. I went to Parkview Magnet School to talk about setting high standards and making sure no child gets left behind. And tonight I'm here to urge the good people of this state to send Tim Hutchinson back to the United States Senate. (Applause.)
He's a hard worker. He cares deeply about the people of Arkansas. He's doing a fine job as the United States Senator. I'm proud to call him friend. I appreciate his advice, and I appreciate you all working hard to send him back up to Washington, D.C. (Applause.)
I'm so grateful that Randy Hutchinson, his wife, is campaigning with him and standing by his side during this campaign for reelection. I appreciate meeting Randy. And it's an honor to have you here, Randy. Thank you. (Applause.) And speaking about wives, I'm sorry mine is not here.
AUDIENCE MEMBER: Me too --
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I know you are. (Laughter.) You drew the short straw. (Laughter.) She's doing great. I'm really proud of Laura. She's down in Crawford. It's where I'm heading after tonight, for a couple more days. She -- you know, when I married her, she was a public school librarian. She didn't care for politics and didn't particularly like politicians. (Laughter.) Now she's stuck with one. And she's doing a fabulous job as First Lady. (Applause.)
I want to thank John Boozman, who's a member of the United States Congress, for being with us today. John, thank you for coming down for the fundraiser. (Applause.) I had the honor of being with your Governor earlier today. He's off working. You need to send Mike Huckabee back to the Governor's office here in Arkansas. (Applause.) He's a fine fellow. And so is your Lt. Governor, who is with us tonight, Win Rockefeller. Thanks for coming. (Applause.)
I want to thank two guys who are running for the United States Congress, former member Jay Dickey is with us today. Jay, thank you very much. (Applause.) And the man they call TR, Tommy Robinson is with us, as well. (Applause.) I appreciate my family friend, John Paul Hammersmith, for being here tonight and for being the National Committeeman from the state of Arkansas. Thank you, John Paul. (Applause.)
I want to thank your chairman, Marty Rile (ph), for his leadership here in the state of Arkansas. And I appreciate all the grass-root activists who are here. I appreciate you for what you have done and what you're going to do. See, over the next couple of months you need to go to your coffee shops and your churches and your synagogues and your community centers and turn out the vote. You need to tell the people when you find a good one like Tim Hutchinson, we need to send him back to office. (Applause.)
And there's some good reasons why, starting with the fact that he has a good vision for education. We passed a good piece of legislation out of Washington for education. It's one that Tim had a lot to do with. He worked hard on that legislation. And let me describe the principles and why it's so important to have this type of person in Washington. It first starts, the bill says, and he and I both believe, that every child can learn. That sounds simple. But too often in our society we've lowered the standards. We don't believe every child can learn; therefore, we have low standards -- what I call the soft bigotry of low expectations. If you lower the bar, you're going to get lousy results. So this bill believes that if you set high standards and believe every child can learn, you start with the right frame of mind.
Secondly, it says, we trust the people of Arkansas, the people of this good state, the people of Little Rock and Jonesboro and all the cities to chart the path for excellence for every child in their community. We believe in local control of schools. (Applause.)
And finally, at the core of the bill is this principle: It says we want to know whether or not our children are learning. You see, if you believe every child can learn, the next question is, are they? And the only way to know is to measure, is to hold people to account, is to let the children take a test to see whether or not they can read and write and add and subtract. If you believe every child can learn, then you want to know.
And, you see, when you find out children aren't learning, it gives you the tools necessary to do something about it. If you believe every child can learn, they ought to show us whether or not every child is learning. And if they're not, we need to correct problems early, before it's too late. You see, there are no second-class children in the state of Arkansas, and no child should be left behind. (Applause.)
I appreciate Tim's stand on education policy, and I appreciate his stand on tax policy. When I took office I knew things were kind of slow, but I didn't realize that we we're in the beginning of a recession. The first three quarters of my presidency were negative growth; that means recession. Thankfully, people like Tim Hutchinson supported my call for tax relief. See, we read from the same textbook -- it's a little different from some of the others in Washington. It says, if you let a person keep their own money, they will demand a good or a service if they have more money. And when they demand a good or a service, somebody is likely to produce the good or a service. And when somebody produces the good and service, somebody is more likely to find jobs, in the midst of a recession. It is important to let the people have their own money. (Applause.)
Tim was the original author of the $500 per child tax credit in the House. And he supported the doubling of that tax credit in the new tax relief plan. Not only does the tax relief plan lower all rates, which, by the way, stimulates small business growth -- see, most of the new jobs in Arkansas and around the country are created by small businesses. Seventy percent of new jobs in America are created by the entrepreneurs who start their own business. Yet most of those small businesses are sole proprietors or limited partnerships, which means they pay taxes at the individual rate. When you lower the individual rates, you stimulate the growth of our economy by stimulating the entrepreneurial spirit in America. (Applause.)
This tax relief plan did more than that. It mitigated the ill effects of a marriage penalty. The tax code ought to promote family, not discourage family. (Applause.) And finally, the tax relief plan put the death tax on its way to extinction. I know there's a lot of farmers and ranchers in this state, and some in this audience. The death tax is bad for our ranching families, it's bad for our farming families, and it's bad for the entrepreneurial families of Arkansas. (Applause.)
And Tim was right by my side on this tax relief plan. But what's interesting -- not interesting, kind of a quirk in the law is that all this, all the tax relief that we passed goes away after 10 years from the sign of passage -- from the time of passage. That's the quirk in the Senate rules. It's hard to explain, I understand. You ought to try that in the Crawford Coffee Shop. (Laughter.) On the one hand, we giveth; on the other hand, we taketh away. For the sake of planning, for the sake of economic vitality, for the sake of job growth, you need to have a United States senator who will join me in making this tax relief permanent. (Applause.)
I appreciate Tim's concern about health care -- health care not just for Republicans, but health care for everybody who lives in Arkansas. He's on the leading edge of those in the Senate who want to bring a reasonable reform to Medicare. See, Medicare is an incredibly important program, but medicine has changed and the program hasn't. Medicine has changed, and yet the bureaucracy still strangles the capacity for our seniors to get the care they need. We need to reform Medicare and make sure our seniors have got prescription drugs. (Applause.)
I appreciate Tim's support for the farm bill. See, he and I understand that good economic policy at home means that you've got to have a strong agricultural sector. It's a luxury for this President to be able to say we feed ourselves. Imagine if we were around the world asking for food. We've got a great farm economy, and the farm bill we passed recognizes that. And Tim was one of the leaders that helped get that farm bill out of the Senate and to my desk. I was proud to sign the farm bill; it was good for Arkansas farmers. (Applause.)
And finally, I appreciate his leadership on sending a clear message to people who have got positions of responsibility in America. Our economy was hurt by a recession, and then it got shocked by the attacks of September the 11th. And then, of course, we found out that bubbling up through the years was this business about people trying to cook the books -- some of our corporate leaders deciding that the best way to get ahead was not to tell the truth, was not to uphold their responsibilities to employee and shareholder alike.
I signed the most comprehensive corporate reform legislation since Franklin Roosevelt was the President. And Tim Hutchinson was a strong supporter. It says this: If we catch you cheating, if you're not a responsible citizen, if you think you can cook the books, you're wrong. We're going to find you and we'll prosecute you, and no more easy money, just hard time. (Applause.)
Finally, I support -- I appreciate Tim's support on our war against terror and our need to protect the homeland. My most important job is to protect the homeland, is to protect innocent people. After September the 11th, the stakes obviously changed. The enemy brought war to us, and they're still out there. They just are. By the way, they're nothing but a bunch of cold-blooded killers. (Applause.) They hate us, because we love freedom. They can't stand the thought of a society which values free speech, which says you can worship the Almighty any way you see fit. They hate the idea of people being able to come to our country and succeed. The more we love freedom, the more they hate us.
But you know what, we're never going to stop loving freedom. This great country loves freedom and will do anything it takes to protect that freedom. (Applause.)
You need to know there's a lot of good folks working a lot of hours to protect you. Any time we get a hint or any piece of evidence that somebody might be plotting against America, we're moving. We're moving. There's a lot of good folks who are gathering intelligence and now sharing it like it's never been shared before. Obviously, everything we hear we take seriously, and we're trying to do everything we can to disrupt and deny.
In order to make sure that I can look you in the eye and say we're doing everything to secure the homeland I have asked the Congress to join me in setting up a department of homeland security. I did so because in order to change a culture, in order to set homeland security as a number one priority, I felt I would need to gather up agencies involved with the homeland security and put them under one umbrella organization. See, there's over a hundred of them, scattered all over Washington, which means it's kind of hard to set a tone and a culture, it's hard to set a priority.
And so I asked Congress and said, let's get together and come up with an American idea -- it's not a Republican idea, it's not a Democrat, it's an American idea -- to do everything we can to give us the tools -- not only me, but future Presidents the tools -- necessary to guard our homeland. And I'll give you an example. We need to know who's coming in America, what they're bringing into America, and if they're leaving when they say they're going to leave America. And yet, on our borders -- (applause.) And yet, on our borders, we've got your Customs, and INS, and Border Patrol, three different agencies, three different cultures, three different uniforms. I need the capacity to be able to move people to the right place at the right time to protect the homeland.
The House of Representatives got the message. They provided flexibility so that this President and future Presidents can do what it takes to move people in the right place. The Senate, unfortunately, doesn't see it that way. Fortunately, Senator Hutchinson does. But, see, there's some senators out there who would rather listen to special interests in Washington, D.C. than listen to the voice of the people. There are senators who would rather give us a rule book this thick about how we have to behave and what we must do to protect the homeland, than to trust any administration for protecting America. I refuse to accept a bill which ties my hands or the hands of future Presidents. (Applause.)
And I want to appreciate Senator Hutchinson's understanding of that. And I'm proud to call him supporter on helping craft a homeland security department which will stand the test of time, and will do the job on behalf of the American people. But the best way to protect the homeland, and the surest way to secure our freedom, the best way to leave a peaceful legacy for our children is to hunt the killers down, one person at a time, and bring them to justice. And that's what the United States of America is going to do. (Applause.)
And it's going to take a while. It's a different kind of war. People during World War II were used to measuring progress based upon infantries marching across the plain, or squadrons of aircraft flying here, or ships sailing across the sea getting this island or that island. That's how they used to judge progress. This is a different type of war, but it's war. And the stakes are just as high.
See, this is the kind of war where you have their commanders hide in caves. They find the deepest and darkest cave they can. And then they send their soldiers, their youngsters to their suicidal death. That's who we're fighting. See, these people have no regard for human life. Innocence doesn't matter to them. They've hijacked a great religion in order to provide cover for their hatred. But there's no cave deep enough for America, as far as I'm concerned.
We've got a fantastic coalition of nations which understand what's at stake, and we've got the finest United States -- we've got the finest military in the world. (Applause.) Our soldiers are performing brilliantly under tough, tough conditions. And that's why -- the fact that they're in the field is why I submitted the largest increase in defense spending since Ronald Reagan was the President. I did so for two reasons. One, any time our soldiers are in harm's way, they deserve the best pay, the best training, and the best possible equipment. (Applause.) We owe that to them, and we owe it to their loved ones. And for those of you who have got a relative in the military, I want to tell you how proud their Commander in Chief is. I'm really proud. They're fine, fine people who are sacrificing on behalf of our nation. (Applause.)
And the second reason I submitted this request, as big as it is, is I wanted to send a message to our friends and foes alike that we're in this deal for the long haul. They understand this war isn't going to end tomorrow; that when it comes to our freedom, it doesn't matter how long it takes. The United States of America will fight terror, and fight its sponsors, and will uphold doctrine. One doctrine says, either you're with us, or you're with them. And the other doctrine says, if you harbor a terrorist, if you feed a terrorist, you're just as guilty as the terrorist who committed the murders on September the 11th. (Applause.)
And we're making progress. Sometimes you'll see the progress on your TVs, and sometimes you won't. It's a different kind of war; it's a hard war to measure. But slowly, but surely, we're rounding them up, one way or the other. We estimate there's over a couple of thousand of them who have now been captured by our friends and ourselves, hauled off, no longer a part of the army. And another like number just weren't as lucky. They met their fate.
But we've got a lot of work to do, we really do. We -- are strategy is pretty clear. First was to rout out the Taliban. And you need to tell your kids this about America: One, we do what we say. And two, when we went into that country, we went in as liberators, not as conquerors. We freed people from the clutches of one of the most barbaric regimes in the history of mankind. (Applause.) Young girls, many young girls go to school for the first time in their lives, thanks to the United States of America and our allies and friends. (Applause.)
And we're not leaving. We're not leaving for two reasons: One, there's still al Qaeda and we're after them. Slowly, but surely, we're getting them. And secondly, we want democracy to flourish in Afghanistan. We believe in the values here at home ought to be applied elsewhere -- not American values, but God-given values that each life matters, that every voice ought to be heard. (Applause.)
We're getting them on the run, getting them moving around, and then making sure that we deny sanctuary to these killers. The other day -- a while ago, you may remember the Philippines; they asked for our help. I said loud and clear to them, if you want help we'll provide you help. If you can't do it yourself, give us a call. And the Philippines, as a result of Gloria Arroyo's fine leadership -- and frankly, some of our training -- put a force together and did in the head of what they call Abu Sayyaf. This is the group of al Qaeda-sponsored terrorists who kidnapped two Americans, as well as others, and brought people to their death. They don't care about life. But we got the leader. We got the leader because our coalition remains firm.
No, our job is to get them on the run, deny them sanctuary, and slowly, but surely, get them and bring them to justice, which is exactly what this country is going to do. (Applause.) We owe it to our children, we owe it to our grandchildren to make sure that the world's worst leaders do not develop and deploy the world's worst weapons. We owe it to future generations of America to make our stand for freedom.
Oh, I know there's a lot of speculation in the press, and you've just got to know something about me -- I'm a patient man. And we've got a lot of tools at our disposal. We've got a lot of pressures we can bring to bear. We've got friends in the world. But for the sake of our children, we're going to deal with the problems now presented; for the sake of freedom, we will not allow these tyrants to hold the United States or our friends and allies blackmail with weapons of mass destruction. (Applause.)
I appreciate Tim's understanding, and I appreciate his support on this war against terror. I believe that out of the evil done to this country is going to come incredible good. I believed that shortly after the attacks; I still believe it. See, I believe that the stronger this country is on our quest for freedom and our willingness to battle terror, the more likely it is we'll achieve peace. And I don't mean peace just for Americans, I mean peace around the world.
The tougher we are against terror, the more willing we are to speak clearly as a nation, the more likely it is we can achieve peace in parts of the world where people have quit on peace. Peace is possible in the Middle East. Peace is possible in South Asia.
I want you to assure your children when they hear their President talk about fighting the enemy or bringing them to justice, I have peace in my mind. That's my vision. I want there to be a peaceful world for all people. See, this country values all life not just American life, every child counts. When I say no child is left behind -- that's obviously a slogan for education here in America -- I mean it for everywhere else, too. Children ought to grow up in a peaceful world and the United States of America can effect that peace. It's not going to be easy. There's going to be some steep hills to climb. But if any nation can do it, it is this strong and this nation that's based upon values.
And here at home, we can achieve some incredible good, too. I don't know what went through the mind of the enemy. They probably thought that we were so self-absorbed and so materialistic, so selfish in our ways, that after 9/11 all we might do was file a lawsuit. (Laughter.) See, they didn't understand our country. They didn't know that when it comes to something we value, we're plenty tough. Nor did they realize that when they hit us, a new culture would begin to evolve, a culture of serving something greater than yourself in life.
The thing I love about our country is that we're a compassionate nation. I hope you understand that in the midst of plenty, there are pockets of despair in America, hopelessness and addiction, people wondering whether or not the American Dream is meant for them. And I believe we have a chance now, as we take a step back and look at our inner souls, to help solve those problems.
Government can hand out money, I realize that. As I like to say, we do a pretty good job of it. But what government cannot do is put a sense of purpose in people's lives. It can't put hope in people's hearts. That is done when our fellow Americans put their arm around somebody who hurts and says, I love you. People say, what can I do in the war against terror, how can I fight evil? My answer is, love a neighbor just like you'd like to be loved yourself. (Applause.)
And it's happening in this country, it sure enough is. People realize that a patriot is more than somebody who puts their hand over their heart and says, one nation under God. They understand that a patriot is somebody who is willing to serve something greater than themselves, and that can be in all kinds of ways. It can be leading a Boy Scout or Girl Scout troop; it can be coming out of your church and feeding the hungry, or coming out of your synagogue and helping somebody who doesn't have housing find housing. You see, it's the millions of acts, millions of acts of kindness and decency that take place on a daily basis which defines the true character and true hope and true decency of this country.
No, the enemy hit us, but they've awakened a great spirit of personal responsibility. One of the reasons I decided to run for governor of Texas is I wanted to be a small part of a cultural change in America. I wanted to help encourage this country to reject the culture which said, if it feels good, just go ahead and do it, and if you've got a problem, blame somebody else. My dream was to help usher in a period of personal responsibility, when each of us understood we're responsible for decisions we make in life.
If you're fortunate enough to be a mom or a dad, your most important job and important responsibility is to love your child with all your heart and all your soul. If you're a citizen of Little Rock, Arkansas, you have a responsibility to help heal those who hurt. That is a responsibility for being an American. And that period of responsibility is coming.
The enemy hit us. They're evil. But out of that evil is going to come incredible good. Perhaps the most vivid example is that of Flight 93. Deena Burnett is here today with us. Her husband was on that flight. She knows about which I'm about to speak. She heard it firsthand. These were great Americans who were flying across the country and learned that their airplane was going to be used as a weapon. Who knows what it was targeted for, the White House or the Capitol, but it was going to be used as a weapon. Their loved ones said good-bye on the telephone. Their last words were, I love you, to their loved ones. They said a prayer. A guy said, "Let's roll," and they took the plane in the ground. There is a new spirit in America of serving something greater than yourself in life. (Applause.)
No, the enemy hit us. They didn't know they were hitting -- they hit a great nation. I promise you, out of the evil done to America is going to come incredible good, because we're the finest nation on the face of the Earth, full of the finest people.
Thank you all for coming. May God bless you all, and may God bless America. (Applause.)
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